NEW DELHI: Former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg has expressed his disapproval of Australia head coach Andrew McDonald’s comments on Team India’s alleged “intimidating” behavior towards rookie opener Sam Konstas during the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The controversy arose after Usman Khawaja’s dismissal in Australia’s first innings, which happened after India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah had a heated exchange with the 19-year-old Konstas. Following the verbal duel, Bumrah gave the young batter a fierce stare after claiming Khawaja’s wicket.
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Reacting to McDonald’s concerns over the mental health impact of the incident, Hogg remarked that Konstas should be prepared to face the same treatment he dishes out.

“The coach coming out and saying that the Indian players were intimidating Konstas and there is a mental health issue there, I think that is taking it a little bit too far,” Hogg said on his YouTube channel. “If you want to say a few words to the opposition team, hit balls for four, walk down and give the bowler a serve while he’s walking back to the mark, you are going to have to sit there and cop it on the way back as well.”
Hogg criticized McDonald for his handling of the situation, suggesting that the coach should focus on preparing his players for potential retaliation instead of defending them publicly.
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“The coach should not be talking about the Indian intimidation,” Hogg asserted. “The coach should be talking to his player about how he is going to handle the retaliation from the opposition team rather than defending him because if you want to give it out, you’ve got to take it back as well.”
Hogg’s remarks underline a belief that players, especially those engaging in sledging, must be prepared for responses from the opposition. The debate highlights the fine line between competitive aggression and sportsmanship in cricket.